Brooder.



P. R. PARK. 312001233.

APPLIOATIQN FILED Nov 6, 1909. 965,650.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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P.R.PARK.

BROODER. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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P.R.PARK.

BROODBR.

APPLICATION I'ILBD NOV. 6, 1909.

Patented Jul 26, 1910.

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flPI-IILIP R. PARK, 01? READING, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PARK 86POLLABD COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

BROODER.

T 0 all whom itma'y concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP R. PARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reading, county of Middlesex, Commonwealth of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brooders, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to brooders and particularly to a flexiblecombination brooder and coop.

In the incubation and rearing of chickens, the care of the newly hatchedyoung is a matter of great importance and of considerable difficulty.The temperature of the chicken is naturally high and there is greatdanger in exposing the young in view of this and in view of thesustained temperature of the incubator during the actual hatching. Itis, therefore, necessary that the young chickens be kept warm and thattheir exposure to ordinary temperatures be accom: plished gradually andwithout sudden change. The ordinary brooder built for this purpose ofkeeping he newly hatched young from sudden chill has usually been abulky structure. As the brooder is only used for a comparatively shortperiod during the rearing of the chickens, and as chickens are usuallyreared at only certain seasons of the year, it happens that there hasbeen a necessary tendency to limit the brooding facilities in order toavoid the storage of a large bulk of brooding accommodations during therest of the year. This has re sulted in a crowding of the chickens or ina limitation of the period of brooding, both of which have resulted in ahigh rate of mortality and a very considerable loss onthis account. Itis, therefore, extremely desirable that there be a simple andinexpensive brooding means capable of snug stowage and available at aprice which will permit a free use which will afford ample accommodationfor all of the chickens successfully incubated.

The availability of brooders at a low price and the correspondingincrease in number possibly permits the separation of the chickens at anearly age into groups according to their development and strength. It isto be borne in mind that the chicken by nature seeks to maintain itswarmth by crowding with others of its kind. This is a necessarySpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Serial No. 526,528.

instinct for the preservation of the chicken but it has resultedinvariably in the destruction of the weaker, as the younger or lessdeveloped are trampled and smothered by the more robust. This has beenparticularly true in brooding constructions which have involved corners.The chickens naturally seek a corner and in the huddling in the angle ofthe wall the greatest danger exists. To the end, therefore, of producinga brooder which shall be capable of compact stowage, warm, adjustable tomeet the growth of the chickens, adapted to advance the chicken bygradual degrees from incubation to atmospheric temperature and whichshall be available at a price which shall permit ample usage, I havedevised my present invention.

By my invention I have produced a brooder having flexible walls whichpermit it to be rolled in a compact space and a covering which shall becapable of adjustment to varying degrees of temperature and whichembodies various other features of structure for an arrangement whichwill permit it to be adapted to the various stages of brooding.

In the specification which follows the invention is more fully set forthand in it I have described, as illustrative of the principles of myinvention, a brooder construction well adapted to the purposesspecified.

Throughout the specification and also in the drawing which forms a partthereof I have employed reference numerals correspondingly used andapplied to indicate like parts and in the drawings I have shown theillustrative embodiment above referred to in a series of figures whichare as follows:

Figure 1 is a view of my brooder in its first adaptation shown in plan(with cover removed) for the reception of newly hatched chickens, Fig. 2is a similar plan view with yard extended, Fig. 3 is a view of thebrooder rolled for storage or shipment, Fig. 4: is a detail ofthe wallconstruction, Fig. 5

is a plan view of the brooder enlarged to uncover one door, Fig. 6 is avertical section on the line 6 6, Fig. 2, Fig. 7 is a perspectivefragment of the breeder quilt, Fig. 8 is a view of the quilt ring, Fig.9 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1 with covers applied for use asa chicken shipping crate, Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view on theline l 0-10,

Fig. 2, showing the covers applied as a flooring, and Fig. 11 is a planview of the lower cover.

1 is a coop forming wall section having a free end l and a jointedportion at the opposite end 1 at which portion a yard forming and doorclosing section 2 is joined by a flexible hinge.

3 and 4 are door openings in the section 1, and 5 is a feeding openingon the section 2.

The section 1 is provided with pairs of which cuts the circularlydisposed wall of the coop portion just outside of the edges of the doors3 and 4. his relieves the angles between the walls 1 and 2 of theirfeature of danger as crowding merely thrusts the chicken first in thecorner through the adjacent opening 3 or 4. In this manner not only isthe danger of trampling and smothering avoided but a circulation of theindividual chickens is secured which gives the necessary opportunity forexercise and the development of each member irrespective of hiscomparative strength. 5 is an opening outside of which a receptacle forfood or water may be placed, and through which the chicken may reach tosecure food or water without being able to get into the dish. Thebrooder is usually kept in this form for about two days.

16 and 17 are top and bottom covers for the brooder. The cover 16 is airordinary Two pairs of pronged fasteners 12 are provided for fasteningtogether the ends of the sections 1 and 2 in the d' tionings of thebrooder walls.

In the first position shown in Fig.

l the sections are united by -t o a palr f fastenels 1o circular flangedcover while 17 is an exth oh th l t 11 Th d f th pansible covercomprising a main circular Hon 2 will then be lapped abo t scctlon lbody portion with a fixed flange 17 on its covering the openings 3 and 4and fastened thereto by inserting the ends of the fasteners which havebeen put through the eyelets 11, through the eyelets 10 which are formedat the end of section'2. This gives a coop entirely closed about andof acircular form with no corners or angles between the walls of which thechickens may crowd. lVhen in this position the brooding quilt 13 is suspended by its marginal portion 14 within the brooder by means of theexpansible spring Fig. 6, it will be first lowered into substantialcontact with the chickens so as to lightly rest upon them and keep themsnug and warm. From time to time as the chickens mature the breedingquilt or pad 13 is raised, as indicated in dotmargin.

18 is a crescent shaped extension (see Fig. 11) hinged at 19 to thecover 17 so that the crescent. portion 18 may be swung out as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 11. In Fig. 10 the extension 18 is shown swungout to form the flooring of the yard formed by the wall 2. In thissection is also shown how the top 10 is set on the bottom 17 to give adouble flooring with an insulating air space between.

hen it is desired to ship a brood of young chickens elsewhere forraising the brooder is contracted to its position shown in Figs. 1 and9. The cover 16 is set on the top and the cover 17 with its crescentextension 18 is swung in and set on the botte lines, until it is at thetop of the wall f tOITL'. The brooder in this position, and the Coop.The hoop 15 has a series of slot with the quilt properly ad usted may be15 and an arrow head 15 with an elongat d safely shipped with the hoodcontained with neck 15 which permits a certain amount of play so thatthe hoop may expand or con tract in adapting itself to its holdingposiin it. After the third day, if the chickens have been properlyadvanced as is provided for by my brooder, they may be safely pertlon.mitted more room than the yard 2 affords The chickens are usually keptin the closed and the brooder is then read iisted by fastenform of thebrooder shown in Fig. 1 for ing the free end of the yard section 2 bethefirst twenty-four hours after leaving the incubator. As the chickensdevelop and it ecomes advisable to give them more room removed from theeyethe eyelets 7 and are passed through the eyelets 10, thus securingthe end of the section 2 in an advanced position (see Fig. 2). In thisposition, as shown in Figs. 2 and 10, the wall 2 new forms a segmentalor crescent shaped yard in front of the openings 3 and 4 of the coop butterminating just outside of them. On account of the flexible hingedport-ions l and 2 the wall 2 by its yielding nature forms itself in thearc of an intersecting circle tween the doors 3 and 4. eyelets l0 and 8are brought into registry and the fasteners 12 inserted through 1.0 and8 and 6 and 9 and this leaves the door 8 open and converts the brooderinto a more advanced state in which it is practically a brooding coop.

The walls 1 and 2 are constructed with narrow vertically disposed aircells which afford a complete insulation and at the same time permit theneccssar give and play of the wall elements in rolling. They may beconstructed by the application of wall covering within and without to avertically ribbed sheet.

eeaeso In Fig. 4: I have shown suitable construction in which a sheet 20of vertically ribbed thin metal or other suitable material will affordsufficient longitudinal flexibility and vertical strength orinflexibility to protect the chickens. Within this is attached anotherwall 21 which is preferably formed of some soft fibrous material such asa felting which is caught to the inner lining 20 on the points 20 22 isan outer surfacing preferably externally glazed or coated so as to beimpervious to moisture. This is caught, as indlcated at 22 toalternating ribs so that the surfaces 21 and 22 are attached toalternate ribs of the sheet 20. This structure permits a free play ofthe parts when the devlce is rolled.

When not in use or when prepared for storage or shipment, the device isrolled into a compact bundle, as shown in Fig. 8, and the covering 13and fasteners 12 are thrust within the roll. This makes it possible tostore, pack or ship the device with great ease and with little expenseand at the same time the brooder may be set up and adjusted at a momentsnotice.

Various modifications in the construction, form and materials of thedevice may obviously be made, all without departing from the spirit ofmy invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In acombination brooder, a longitudinally flexible but vertically inflexiblewall comprising a section for forming a circular brooder coop havingentry openings therein and a section adapted to overlap said openings toclose the same or to be formed about said openings as a yard.

2. A device of the class described comprising a circular coop, a movablesegmental yard wall connected with said coop, said coop having entryopenings within the points of connection of the yard wall there with andmeans to hold said yard wall against said openings to close them.

3. In a device of the class described a frame comprising a memberflexible longitudinally but inflexible vertically and an inner and anouter wall associated with said frame to secure an insulating dead airspace between the same.

4. In a device of the class described a frame comprising a verticallycorrugated member flexible longitudinally but inflex ible vertically andan inner and an outer wall associated with said frame to secure aninsulating dead air space between the same.

5. In a device of the class described a wall longitudinally flexible butvertically inflexible and comprising a circular coop forming sect-ionhaving door openings therein and a segmental yard forming or doorclosing section, means for attaching one end of the coop sectionintermediate of the coop and yard sections and means to attach the freeend of the yard section to the coop section beyond the door opening.

6. In a device of the class described a circular coop, a canopycomprising a circular brooding pad and a surrounding portion of thinnermaterial and means engaging sai portion to support said brooding pad aproper distance within said coop.

7. In a device of the class described a flexible wall comprising aflexible coop forming portion having ends adapted to be overlapped,means for joining the overlapped ends of said portion, a second flexibleportion loosely hinged to one end of said coop portion and having aloosely hinged flap on its end and means for fastening said flap at onepoint to said coop section to form a yard wall and to a second point tobring it closely against said coop wall.

8. A combination brooder and shipper comprising a circular coop having adoorway in its wall, a section hinged thereto to form a segmental yardwall or to close said doorway, means for holding said section in eitherposition and a circular cover having a crescent extension hinged theretoto be swung within the margin of said cover when used in shipping or tobe swung out to form a flooring for said yard.

9. A combined brooder and shipper comprising a circular coop open atboth top and bottom and a pair of flanged disks adapted to be used ascovers in shipping or to form a double flooring with an air spacebetween in brooding.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP R. PARK.

Witnesses:

E. LOUISE HUNTER, RUTH L. BENNETT.

